Just as creepy as the trailer and really really good, this story of a young woman after her time in a rural cult deserves the nominations and win it has gained so far. Ashley and Mary-Kate's little (23) sister Elizabeth Olsen, luminous in real life, acts the part of the fragile MMMM with her whole body. This is only her second feature but another is in the can for 2011 and four more are scheduled for 2012 and 2013. John Hawkes (after I wrote about him in Higher Ground he was in Contagion) is back to his scary tricks as the cult's leader. Sarah Paulson (Golden-Globe-nominated for the über-Christian comedian Harriet in the cancelled series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a small part in Down with Love (2003), more) is MMMM's concerned sister Lucy and Hugh Dancy (Adam) is Lucy's husband, both of whom are completely clueless as to what MMMM has been through, which is not totally their fault. Director/writer Sean Durkin makes his feature debut at those jobs here, but did produce Afterschool, which I liked a lot. The script is layered and goes back and forth in time but we are never more confused than we're supposed to be. Cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes also shot Afterschool as well as Tiny Furniture and shows us the differences between the cult's farm and woods and Lucy's beautiful lake house.
The music is by Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, from a band called Priestbird (you can download an album for a suggested donation here) and one dissonant song, Collage, representing the feel of the movie, is available from this site. There are two other songs, one called Marcy's Song (sung by Hawkes in the trailer) and another called Marlene, from 40 years ago (story is here). The soundtrack album is available exclusively on iTunes.
Do check this out and learn why she has so many names.
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